


In your hands, in your heart

by laireshi



Category: Avengers (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Fandom Stocking 2016, Fantasy AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-14 21:13:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9203393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laireshi/pseuds/laireshi
Summary: “Steve. My liege. I swore myself to you. Why wouldn’t I? It was always true.”





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [magicasen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicasen/gifts).
  * Translation into 中文 available: [In your hands, in your heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10260947) by [Celeste_030](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celeste_030/pseuds/Celeste_030)



> I really hope you'll enjoy it. Happy New Year!
> 
> There's a Chinese translation available [here](http://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404064847477222732) or [here](http://www.mtslash.org/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=220940&pid=4185093). Thanks to [celestewuu](http://celestewuu.tumblr.com/)!

Tony Stark is laughing. It’s a beautiful sound, vibrant, full of light. It’s also a rare one, so Steve treasures every time he hears it.

“Isn’t it obvious already?” Tony asks, his blue eyes full of mirth. 

God, Steve loves him.

“Is it?” Steve challenges, even though it is, it truly is. He’s just curious how seriously Tony’s treating this.

Tony tilts his head. He looks around them briefly—there’s nothing unusual, though, just the court whispering around them. They always whisper, when Tony’s present. He nods, almost imperceptibly, and looks back at Steve. Suddenly, Steve wishes he could step down from his throne, just wrap his arms around Tony and never let him go again.

“Very well, then,” Tony says, never breaking eye contact with Steve. He goes on one knee, easily, and even during this short movement, he changes: now it’s Iron Man, kneeling in front of Steve. The magic is never any less beautiful to observe, the lines of red light covering Tony that finally solidify into an unbreakable metal. But it’s still Tony’s voice, if changed, when he speaks, “I swear my allegiance to King Steven,” he says, “as Iron Man,” and now he stands up, and the armour dissolves, like water dropping away from his body, leaving him back in his expensive robes, “and as Sorcerer Supreme.” 

He kneels again. “Till the end of times.” A pause. “If you’ll have me,” Tony adds quieter, “my lord.”

 _Always_ , Steve thinks.

“I will,” Steve says, “my mage.”

Tony looks almost relieved for a second, as if he was scared Steve would reject him. Then he stands up and grins at Steve again. Steve grins back.

There are more whispers, but he can’t help that. He trusts Tony with his life. Even now, when Tony’s come back from a year spent who-knows-where, a year of no news and rumours of betrayal. But now he’s back, and it’s like nothing has changed at all, Steve still loves him the same.

It’s all Steve can ask for—and yet, he knows he’ll ask for explanations, a bit later, when it’s not as fresh. Now, he just wants to rejoice in Tony’s return.

“That would be enough, then,” Steve says, and stands up from his throne. “By all means, continue the celebrations without me!” he calls to everyone. It’s nothing unusual, everyone’s used to him leaving the feasts early.

Tony just nods, and walks out, always so certain Steve would follow him—even now. But Steve does, of course.

Steve finds him in the gardens. Tony’s always liked coming there. “Tony?” he asks.

“Yes, my lord?” Tony replies.

Tony’s always called him that—but he’d never sworn, before. “I didn’t—” Steve trails off.

Tony’s laughing again. “Steve. My liege. I swore myself to you. Why wouldn’t I? It was always true.”

Steve smiles at him, relieved. “I missed you,” he says.

“And now you have me,” Tony says. He bats his eyelashes. “Unless, my lord, that is not quite what you meant.”

Steve should step back. He should—stop this. He should . . . He should _find better excuses_ , he thinks, because the next thing he does is to step forward, grab Tony by the front of his robe, and pull him in, kiss him senseless.

Tony’s smiling against his lips, and Steve can feel him tracing something over his back—runes? 

He doesn’t have a moment to react, as in the next moment they’re in Steve’s chamber, and Tony kisses him again, and again. 

“Wow,” Steve gasps out. “That’s—yes, that’s better.”

“So maybe being the royal mage has some advantages,” Tony muses. “We must talk strategy, and all that.”

Tony’s a menace. Steve’s not sure how he’s ever forgotten.

“Strategy sounds great, Lord Stark,” he says.

“Your wish is my command, my king,” Tony answers, and sends a wave of pure magic through Steve’s body.

Tony Stark will be the death of him, Steve knows, but every single second will be worth it.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Public Declaration (The Always Yours Remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9915140) by [navaan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/navaan/pseuds/navaan)




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